Blood Hunters #5 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNTERS No. 5, February 2025

Whilst this final issue to “Blood Hunters” certainly seems to bring the brand new group’s battle against the Bloodcoven to a fairly satisfactory conclusion, it's probably a safe bet that some of this comic’s audience couldn’t shake off the impression that the twenty-page periodical was put together in a bit of a rush. Indeed, along with the creative team’s decision to employ two different artists to pencil the pulse-pounding plot for no obvious story-telling reasons, Erica Schultz’s script also contains arguably one of the oldest tricks in the game by having an upper-tier meta-human conveniently appear at the very last moment to salvage the day; “Does this mean you’ve healed from the damage Varnae inflicted on you..?”

Of course, the sudden appearance of Tyrone Johnson’s alter-ego could quite convincingly be explained by his close, emotional bond to Dagger, and the fact that just moments before Bloodstorm One detects his presence, poor Tandy Bowen was in a bit of a fatal fix. However, the shadowy teleporter’s direct interference rather disconcertingly suggests that this title’s lead protagonists were incapable of ever defeating The Structure’s elite group of vampires in the first place, and debatably causes such an end result to leave a rather unsatisfactory taste in the mouth.

Furthermore, the entire point of this five-part mini-series appears to have been equally as badly thought-out by its American author, with “Dagger’s super-powered blood” only seeming to give its drinker the ability to throw her infamous lightforce constructs at people. Gaining just such an ability may well appear immensely beneficial on paper. But when it’s welded by the likes of Dracula’s already formidably dangerous heavily-armoured clone, some readers will surely be questioning just whether all the time and trouble was in any way worth the somewhat second-rate reward..?

What does prove somewhat impressive though are Robert Gill’s pencils and inks, which for the most part do a prodigious job of depicting all the frantic action taking place within the Bloodcoven’s den in Brooklyn. Of particular note has to be the illustrator’s ability to show just how hard pushed Elsa Bloodstone becomes when tackling “the first of a line of vampiric shocktroopers utilized by Hydra's Department of Occult Affairs” in brutal hand-to-hand combat, as well as how disturbingly cute the monster hunter's newly acquired 'pet' cat appears, even when its attacking the odd grey-skinned thrall or two.

Writer: Erica Schultz, and Pencilers: Chris Campana & Robert Gill

Absolute Carnage: Lethal Protectors #3 - Marvel Comics

ABSOLUTE CARNAGE: LETHAL PROTECTORS No. 3, December 2019

As pulse-pounding, ultra-violent last minute rescues go, it’s fair to say that Frank Tieri’s screenplay for Issue Three of “Absolute Carnage: Lethal Protectors” probably hit the mark for most of this comic’s 31,627 strong audience in October 2019. In fact, this twenty-page periodical’s plot is almost too relentless in its action, as the likes of Deathlok, Morbius and Iron Fist embark upon so serious an over-the-top murdering spree of viciously-fanged doppelgängers that even Sylvester Stallone’s media franchise Rambo would blush at the overall kill count; “Now hand me one of those guns, will ya?”

Interestingly however, despite the formidable firepower at their disposal, the “MarvelFest NYC 2009” event celebrity guest still manages to make this book’s protagonists appear surprisingly vulnerable, and at one stage even looks set to have at least one of the superheroes fatally fall before the relentless innumerable minions of Carnage. Such a sense of palpable mortality is debatably somewhat rare for titular characters in the Modern Age of Comics, so Danny Rand’s decision to summon the “quasi-mystical force” he commands in a last minute bid to save the friends he’s purposely brought back together is arguably all the more impactive as a result.

Similarly as successful, albeit perhaps a little bit too clichéd, is Misty Knight’s tense confrontation with Man-Wolf and her desperately emotional plea for the former astronaut to break his homicidal ties with Cletus Kasady. Backed into a corner, defenceless and yet still superbly defiant, Mercedes never appears to give up, even though the one-armed private detective is never more than a hair’s breadth from having her face bitten off by John Jameson’s symbiote-infected alter-ego.

Unfortunately though, once Tieri’s sense-shattering shenanigans do subside, courtesy of Cloak simply whisking the entire team out of harm’s way with a swish of his all-consuming cape, this comic’s conclusion does come as something of a disappointment; especially once it becomes clear that this entire mini-series was actually about Knight’s somewhat drawn-out rescue and Man-Wolf’s ultimate redemption rather than following the exploits of Iron Fist’s super-squad full-time. Debriefed by a “secret, shadowy organisation”, a disconcertingly inconsistent Flaviano pencils an irate Rand deciding to return to defeat Carnage once and for all just as the publication comes to a close with the frustrating words “To be continued in Absolute Carnage #5!”

‘First published on the "Dawn of Comics" website.'

The regular cover art of "ABSOLUTE CARNAGE: LETHAL PROTECTORS" No. 3 by Iban Coello & Jason Keith

Absolute Carnage: Lethal Protectors #2 - Marvel Comics

ABSOLUTE CARNAGE: LETHAL PROTECTORS No. 2, November 2019

Despite selling almost nine thousand copies less than its previous instalment, Frank Tieri’s narrative for Issue Two of “Absolute Carnage: Lethal Protectors” must still have pleased the majority of its 34,372 readers in September 2019, courtesy of its much-appreciated spotlight upon Misty Knight and inclusion of Iron Fist, Deathlok, Firestar, Morbius, Cloak and Dagger. Indeed, considering that this mini-series is supposedly about Cletus Kasady’s resurrection “by a cult dedicated to the worship of Knull” and subsequent bonding “to the deific primordial Grendel”, this particular twenty-page periodical is infinitely more focused upon the storyline’s heroes banding together so as to face a common threat than the notorious serial killer’s hunt for “everyone who ever bonded to a symbiote.”

Fortunately however, the Brooklyn-born writer’s ability to pen plenty of engaging dialogue, even when its somewhat limited to the likes of Mercedes mentally talking to herself as she covertly shuffles her way through a doppelgänger-infested sewer system, more than makes up for an arguable lack of action, and debatably produces plenty of tension amongst this comic’s cast once Henry Hayes arrives, having “had to shoot somebody on the way over.” Of course, all these discussions and heated disagreements doesn’t mean that this book is completely devoid of action either, as Danny Rand alone demonstrates just how powerful a punch he can throw when he intercepts a transformed Ravencroft inmate from devouring a bunch of hapless children innocent playing in the street.

But the American author certainly seems to use the publication’s plot to carefully position his pieces for an upcoming calamitous confrontation, rather than simply pack it full of artist Flaviano pencilling numerous panels containing pulse-pounding pugilism. In fact, Tieri even seems to find the time to craft “Lord Carnage” providing his Venomanics with a splash-page summary of past events as to John Jameson’s many failures concerning Knight’s incarceration; “Yeah, you captured her when she was sent in to investigate Doverton. But then…”

Perhaps therefore this comic’s only real disappointment is the lamentably abrupt end Frank brings to Misty’s edgy exploration of the deadly catacombs beneath the Ravencroft Institute. The one-armed special agent’s ability to survive her perilous environment, made all the more impressive when she bests a pair of blood-drenched doppelgängers with nothing more than a severed limb, nobly demonstrates the former private investigator’s remarkable grit and tenacity. So it comes as something of a pity these engrossingly impressive trials are cut all-too short by a frenzied Man-Wolf.

‘First published on the "Dawn of Comics" website.'

The regular cover art of "ABSOLUTE CARNAGE: LETHAL PROTECTORS" No. 2 by Iban Coello & Jason Keith

Doctor Strange [2015] #24 - Marvel Comics

DOCTOR STRANGE No. 24, October 2017

As cataclysmic confrontations between Karl Amadeus Mordo and this comic’s titular character go, Dennis Hopeless’ script for Issue Twenty Four of “Doctor Strange” must have pleased the vast majority of its 28,992 strong audience, with its excellent blend of heart-pumping shenanigans, multi-faceted strategies and dark incantations. Indeed, as conclusions to multi-part storylines go, the Missouri-born’s decision to depict the Sorcerer Supreme utilising his wits as opposed to simply relying upon exotic magical items, not only allows the rest of this book’s supporting cast to share in the ‘limelight’ as they collectively attempt to penetrate the Baron’s formidable protective bubble, but for once shows the Master Of The Mystic Arts relying upon his intimate knowledge of Hydra's “trumped-up pawn” so as to use his arrogant vanity against him; “No one was going to defeat you from the ground. Not while you held the Sanctum. I had to compel you to gather up your mindless beasts and ill-gotten spells -- and leave my house.”

Such a pleasantly surprising plot-twist also results in a far more physically dynamic battle than perhaps this publication’s bibliophiles were ordinarily used to, most notably Spider-Woman’s fantastic flying display behind the cockpit of the Phantom Eagle. Terrifically pencilled and coloured by Niko Henrichon, this “exhilarating… gun run in a zombie airplane with no roof” makes for a thrilling read, with Jessica Drew narrowly evading the tentacles of Mordo’s “great beasties of the Darkforce” and engaging in “a rousing round of hide-and-go death serpent”.

Likewise Benjamin Urich’s phantasmagorical swordplay against a “gangrenous horde” whilst inhabited by a spiritual Light Knight packs the Kansas State University alumnus' narrative full of scything sensationalism as the “investigative journalist for the New York newspaper The Daily Bugle” chops down an “abominable army of rot” with both his “luminous blade light” and bluster. It’s rare to see the chain-smoker portrayed as such an obvious action hero, and Hopeless’ dialogue strongly suggests just how much the reporter is enjoying himself by penning Ben confidently wading into a zombie host alongside a similarly super-powered Wilson Fisk.

Of course, this comic’s arguable highlight however, has to be the Baron’s utter astonishment at having been bested once again by a magician whose modern-day abilities are far inferior to his own. Dethroned by Strange’s astral projection “rope-a-dope” ruse, and faced with the combined physical might of such notable costumed crime-fighters as Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Cloak and Spider-Woman, the beaten Transylvanian nobleman is so enraged with frustration that he rather humorously stands indignantly transfixed before his foes spouting his unrealistic defiance until Matt Murdock mercifully socks him in the jaw.

Writer: Dennis Hopeless, Artist & Colorist: Niko Henrichon, and Letters: VC's Cory Petit

Doctor Strange [2015] #23 - Marvel Comics

DOCTOR STRANGE No. 23, September 2017

Featuring a fascinating phantasmagorical face-off between Benjamin Urich and Wilson Fisk due to the long-feuding antagonists inadvertently donning magical manifestations whilst thwarting Karl Mordo’s latest attempt to murder this comic’s titular character, Dennis Hopeless’ script for Issue Twenty Three of “Doctor Strange” certainly delivered plenty of pulse-pounding action to its 32,745 strong audience in July 2017. But whilst this mastery of the dark arts proves an intriguing moment within the Kansas City-born writer’s story-line, especially for those readers aware of the feuding pair’s violently short-lived relationship as depicted during the first season of Drew Goddard’s American web television series “Daredevil”, the supernatural duel featuring the “chain-smoking, tough-as-nails investigative journalist” as a Light Knight debatably detracts from the far more operatic-scaled battle taking place elsewhere between Power Man, Iron Fist, Cloak and the Sorcerer Supreme’s greatest rival.

In fact, the Baron’s battle against the street-level costumed crime-fighters is arguably well worth this publication’s cover price alone, as artist and colourist Niko Henrichon really pulls out all the stops to pencil a truly horrifying bout of fisticuffs involving multi-fanged mythical monstrosities, the blackest of arcane spells and Manhattan’s finest going toe-to-toe with all manner of slithering tentacles; “Mordo may look like a chump but he’s hiding a serious god complex under those Slytherin robes.” Disappointingly however, this admittedly rather one-sided affair is frustratingly cut short by the Harvey Award-winner’s evident desire to give the lion’s share of the ‘spotlight’ to his comic’s leading cast and resultantly, just as Tyrone Johnson is somehow shockingly sucked inside Karl’s spell book, the audience is disconcertingly snatched back to witness Spider-Woman being scooped up by the Phantom Eagle whilst preoccupied with her team-mates’ immature in-fighting.

This ‘change of view’ really is annoying when it quickly becomes clear, courtesy of this book’s concluding cliff-hanger splash illustration, that the “unbreakable brawler” and “immortal living weapon” have both subsequently been overpowered by the Transylvanian nobleman ‘off-screen’. Of course, such a dalliance with Stephen’s now magically-enhanced ‘friends’ appears entirely appropriate given that it sets up this story-line for an almighty altercation with the master of New York City’s darkforce bubble in the ongoing series’ next instalment. Yet surely such a premeditated re-positioning of Hopeless’ heroes within his narrative could have been otherwise manufactured without refocusing the publication’s attention away from such sense-shattering shenanigans as Luke Cage and Danny Rand’s disconcerting defeat..?

Writer: Dennis Hopeless, Artist & Colorist: Niko Henrichon, and Letters: VC's Cory Petit

The Amazing Spider-Man [2015] #8 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 8, April 2016

As multi-issue story conclusions go, Dan Slott’s third and final part of “The Dark Kingdom” certainly manages to do a nice job of tying-up all of his narrative’s plot threads, and even succeeds in keeping the titular character’s romance with Lian Tang alive despite “his current girlfriend and designer of his spider-mobile… working for the terrorist organisation, Zodiac, in exchange for medical treatments for her dying mother.” But whilst Mister Negative’s defeat is all well and good, as is Cloak and Dagger’s return to normality now they’re immune to the villain’s poison, the “Arkham Asylum” author’s ending arguably must have struck many of this comic’s 71,599 strong audience as being a little too sickly sweet a finale for the infamously luckless Peter Parker. Certainly the Web-crawler’s morally righteous speech to his company’s female “mole” that he’d be a hypocrite “if we didn’t give you a chance to work with us… [to] take down Zodiac” seems rather conveniently contrived considering she had only just moments before caused thousands of pounds worth of damage whilst trying to kill him; “I promise to make this quick. If it helps. This isn’t personal.”

Fortunately, despite such reservations with its script, “Black & White” still proves to be a genuinely fun and thrilling read, crammed full of action sequences, such as the Shanghai Police Department’s battle with Martin Li’s demonic mask wearing minions, and the sort of smart-mouthed humorous banter that Spidey’s followers have come to expect. Indeed the “friendly neighbourhood” Web-spinner’s delightful remonstration of his old foe’s “worst Admiral Ackbar” impersonation ever as the ebony-skinned villain shouts “It’s a trap” in surprise, must have had the comic’s “Star Wars” fans smiling broadly.

Arguably somewhat less successful, though undoubtedly competently drawn, is Matteo Buffagni’s rather lifeless artwork. The Scuola Internazionale Di Comics graduate certainly knows how to pace a script, and does an especially fine job of storyboarding the hero’s fraught high-rise confrontation with his errant spider-mobile chauffeur, as well Cloak & Dagger's rescue of Quinghao after the “Humanitarian of the Year” is ordered to jump out of the multi-storey building’s window by the manipulative mind-controller Mister Negative. Yet sadly none of these theatrically dramatic occurrences appear particularly animated or even energic, and rather seem perturbingly two-dimensional despite Marte Gracia’s evident attempt to provide the figures with some much-needed depth courtesy of the Mexican’s colouring.

Writer: Dan Slott, Artist: Matteo Buffagni, and Colorist Artist: Marte Gracia

The Amazing Spider-Man [2015] #7 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 7, April 2016

Defended by Editor “Non-Negative” Nick Lowe for depicting Peter Parker with “classic Iron man trappings, Issue Seven of “The Amazing Spider-Man” contains a Dan Slott narrative which arguably focuses “less [upon] spreadsheets and power point presentations, and more [upon] action and high adventure” as Webhead goes toe-to-toe with the evilly-influenced Cloak & Dagger for almost the entirety of this comic’s second half. In fact many of this book’s 75,357 readers in February 2016 probably felt they were holding an entirely different magazine in their hands once the action centres upon “the bad guy’s drug lab” at the Putuo District’s Sunny Day Cleaning Supply Company, and the Wall-crawler calls in Chief Inspector Sun for some much-needed reinforcements.

Sadly however, in reaching such a dynamically-charged sequence as the titular character battling Bill Mantlo’s human mutates, this twenty-page periodical’s audience must first have endured a seemingly endless carousel of supposedly inter-connecting scenes which in brief allow Aunt May’s nephew to identify Mister Negative’s target, covertly attach a micro spider-tracer onto Tyrone Johnson, further upset Doctor Wu, alienate Lian Tang, observe the domestic life of Harry Osborn and re-introduce the super-powered Regent, who was last seen in this publication’s opening edition. Admittedly most of these tiresomely tedious insights, such as Mister Quinghao publically planting a tree, only last half a dozen panels or so. But others are significantly longer and as a whole make the flow of this comic’s storyline feel extremely choppy and uncoordinated.

Fortunately once Spider-Man does start “quipping in foreign countries” and desperately dodging Tandy Bowen’s darkforce energy blasts, the American author’s writing at least improves as far as this comic’s pacing is concerned. Indeed in some ways his narrow victory over Martin Li’s mind-controlled minions, courtesy of kicking a box load of Shade over Dagger, harks back to the old days when “Peter was a standard bloke with standard gear” and had to rely more upon his quick-wits than technological advancements in order to best his foes.

Disappointingly though, the same cannot be said for Dan Slott’s unconvincing dialogue, which sounds unrealistically forced throughout this book, especially during the heat of battle. It certainly seems odd that anyone would verbalise such a poorly constructed sentence as “The mindless banter. Ugh. Tyrone, tell him”, even if they had been surprised by the appearance of Peter Parker’s alter-ego and never found his repartee “funny. Honestly. None if it.” 

The variant cover art of "THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN" No. 7 by Michael Cho

The Amazing Spider-Man [2015] #6 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 6, March 2016

Featuring Bill Mantlo’s human mutates Cloak and Dagger in what many of this title’s 76,517 readers must surely have subsequently seen as a tactless marketing ploy following an announcement by “Marvel Entertainment” in April 2016 “that the duo would appear in their own television show”, this opening instalment to “The Dark Kingdom” story-arc starts excitingly enough courtesy of Dan Slott penning a dramatic jailbreak on board the floating Department of Justice Prison Transport, Stronghold One; “Quiet. You can scream for me later. First things first.”

Unfortunately however, any enjoyment gleaned from the uncharacteristically brutal attack upon Mister Negative’s goggle-mask wearing penal guards by the “two beloved Marvel heroes”, and the super-powered runaways’ intriguingly different ‘reversed’ abilities, is soon sadly diminished by an uninspiring ‘peek’ at Peter Parker’s rather flirtatious relationship with employee Lian Tang and his global industry’s business dealings with Shanghai’s Mister Quinghao. Indeed, not even the Berkeley-born writer’s introduction of Shade-influenced construction worker Bingwen and his rampaging wrecking ball can help re-energise a somewhat apathetic narrative that seemingly enjoys showboating Spider-Man’s numerous technological gadgets far more than actually telling an engaging tale as to how the wall-crawler is helping “save the world”.

Admittedly the Diamond Gem Award-winner does come close to salvaging this publication’s substandard storyline by having it conclude with Webhead’s three-piece suited alter-ego being ambushed in his “swankiest office” by Cloak and Dagger, as well as their Boss, Martin Li. Yet even this wonderfully theatrical cliff-hanger can’t help dispel the memory of the former Daily Bugle photographer patronizingly preaching to a dejected Doctor Wu that the best medical research man in China must drop everything “whenever… Spider-Man has one of his little adventures” and help him simply because “it’s all for the best.”

Perhaps the biggest disappointment to “Turnabout” though is Matteo Buffagni’s rather lack-lustre and bland pencilling. The Italian artist’s panels depicting Negative Man’s escape from Stronghold One are undoubtedly dynamically drawn, especially Tandy Bowen’s initial entrance having been teleported above the vessel by her long-time partner Tyrone Johnson. But as soon as the excitement dwindles and Parker begins eating “pork and spinach dumplings”, the “Daredevil” illustrator’s pictures seemingly lose all semblance of vitally and life, even when they’ve showing Spider-Man utilising his web-shooters’ cartridge seven… “Quick-drying web-cement.”

Writer: Dan Slott, Artist: Matteo Buffagni, and Colorist: Marte Gracia